Free Double Attraction (Gemini Taboo Romance Series Book 1) by Lauren Branford Page B

us left the nest."
    "So if you don't get along with her, then why do you let her stay with you?"
    "At first, she stayed inside of her room. Then Arianna started going out to parties and talking down to me. The girl doesn't have a job, and I swear that she expects me to pay for everything that she does."
    "Yet, you still do?"
    "Guilty," I said while slowing pressing my fork into the ravioli. "I guess that I have a soft spot for her."
    "She must be your weakness," he said. "Maybe one day I can meet this evil twin sister of yours."
    "You don't want to meet Arianna," I said with my hands on both sides of my face.
    "Why not?" he laughed. "It might trip me out to see the two of you next to each other."
    "We look the same, but we're nothing alike."
    "All the more reason that it would be fun," Gavin grinned. Then he dug his fork into his bolognese and shoved a huge mouthful between his straight, white teeth.
     
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    On the way out of the restaurant, Gavin called his driver to meet at the curb. He held my hand on the way down the old wooden path. I still hadn't made up my mind about him. However, I couldn't deny how nice it felt to touch his large, firm hand.
    "Thank you so much for dinner," I said.
    "It was nothing," Gavin said as he gripped me a little more.
    "I've always wanted to go there," I said. "I just couldn't afford something like that."
    "It was my pleasure," he smiled. "I’ll give you a ride back home."
    "I live a ways from here," I said as the black town car pulled next to the sidewalk. "Are you sure that you want to drive me that far inland? Don't you live just a few blocks from here?"
    "What are you supposed to do?" Gavin scoffed. "Walk home?"
    "I was thinking more of taking a cab," I said as I looked at the yellow cars whizzing by on the street.
    "Those dirty things?" he laughed. "That's a good one."
    “I appreciate the ride,” I said. Then he opened the door for me, and I slid into the warm leather interior. Gavin slowly shut the door and walked around to the opposite side.
    "Settled in, sir?" asked the driver.
    "Just one moment," Gavin said before turning to me. "Maybe we could try something different tonight."
    "Like what?" I asked feeling full from the delicious meal. When I glanced back to Gavin's face, he looked at me with a confused expression.
    "Like my place," Gavin said. “I can get you a cup of coffee."
    "Uh," I started. Truthfully, I wanted to join him, but I was too scared to be left alone in a nonpublic setting with Gavin. “I think that I should head home and check on my sister." Why did I say that? Being with him was a dream and my sister would only make my night worse. Once again, I had chickened out of my true desires.
    "Alright," he said through clenched teeth. "Let's take Ms. Rhodes back to her apartment on the east side of town so that I can hurry home." Gavin's enthusiasm seemed to fade into the black interior of the car. For the entirety of the ride to my place, he pecked at the keyboard on his phone. I turned away from him and gazed out of the window to see the ocean fading into the background.
    "Here you are, miss," said the driver as he stopped the car. I expected Gavin to climb out of the car and open the door for me. Instead, he gave me a half smile and patted my knee with his hand.
    "It was good seeing you," he said, and I could tell that I had disappointed him.
    "Thanks again for dinner," I said as I went to rest my hand on his. However, he was already looking back down at the floor.
    "Good night," he said.
    "Night," I replied slowly, as I climbed from the vehicle. The driver nodded to me as I stepped up the stairs to my apartment, feeling stupid for walking away from a perfect evening.

CHAPTER TWO
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Arianna
     
                  “Where the fuck are my shoes?” I roared as soon as I saw my sister walk into the house. My plan was to escape before Brea got there, however, I couldn’t be fully dressed without my shoes. Something told me that she had them; little